3 things we learned about LSU from the Oklahoma game | LSU

Sports columnist Scott Rabalais with his three takeaways from LSU’s 37-17 win over Oklahoma on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium:

1. Nut like nails

When Garrett Nussmeier went to the locker room early in the second quarter with a right (throwing) shoulder injury, LSU appeared doomed. But he returned to not only throw two long touchdown passes to Chris Hilton, but also scramble for first downs twice. It was a gutsy effort that topped Nussmeier’s numbers (22 of 31 passes, 277 yards, three touchdowns) and more than made up for his fumble that gave Oklahoma a scoop-and-score touchdown.

2. Hilton, for the score

For most of this season, Hilton was LSU football’s unicorn, talked about but never seen again after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason. He ended up playing in the eighth game at Texas A&M but wasn’t a factor until Saturday night (four plays, three catches). Against the Sooners, Hilton did what was expected of him when he was injured in August: He took the lead on a highly regarded defense and caught touchdown passes of 40 and 45 yards.

3. “The way you look tonight”

LSU football was more aesthetically pleasing than Saturday. The main problem: LSU’s alternative uniforms. White helmets, purple jerseys and white pants might not have been so bad if it hadn’t been the Tigers’ sixth jersey combination in 12 games. That’s about five too many. Second topic: the field. Compared to the Vanderbilt game last week, the grass looked brown and worn. The 100-year anniversary logos on the 25-yard lines were also missing.